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A puzzling and deeply concerning case has emerged from a pilgrimage group in Pakistan, involving a 48-year-old Sikh woman from Punjab who travelled as part of a jatha only to disappear and resurface under a new identity. Her story raises troubling questions about identity, conversion, travel documents and cross-border movement.
Departure and Disappearance
The woman, identified as Sarabjit Kaur of Kapurthala district, set off on a pilgrimage to Pakistan on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 556th birth anniversary. She joined a large Sikh group crossing over for religious visit. But while most members returned, Sarabjit did not re-board for the journey home.
Investigators say that on November 5 she solemnised a “nikah” and converted to Islam, adopting the name Noor Hussain. She reportedly married a Pakistani man in Sheikhupura district, just outside Lahore, around 50 km away, after declaring her conversion. At the same time she vanished from the group and began a new life in Pakistan.
A Troubled Past Revealed
As authorities began to probe her disappearance, several red flags emerged. Officials in Kapurthala confirmed that Sarabjit had three criminal cases registered against her in India two in Kapurthala city and one in Kot Fatta, Bathinda. The charges are mainly related to fraud and cheating. More shockingly, her two adult sons are facing around ten FIRs themselves, connected to assault, cheating and fraud across multiple police stations.
Documents also exposed irregularities: her passport lists an address in Malout (Muktsar) and her father’s name, but when she applied for the visa to Pakistan, she reportedly did not include her citizenship or full passport number on the immigration form. These inconsistencies have added to the puzzlement of how she managed to slip away.
Her ex-husband, Karnail Singh, has been living in England for nearly 15 years and the woman had been divorced and living with her sons at the home of her ex-husband’s family in Amanipur village prior to the pilgrimage.
Cross-Border Conversion and Marriage
According to Pakistani police, Sarabjit registered her conversion to Islam and marriage voluntarily, though the authenticity of the documents is being verified. The nikah certificate is said to be issued by a mosque in Sheikhupura, but local sources caution that more investigation is needed. Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistan authorities are coordinating to establish her whereabouts and legal status.
Security officials are also investigating whether she had previously travelled to Pakistan under other pilgrim visa programmes, potentially as part of religious visits, and whether there are deeper cross-border links.
Implications and Public Concern
The incident has triggered multiple concerns.
- The fact that a pilgrim visa holder could disappear into Pakistan and reappear after converting and remarrying sets off alarm bells about how travel-exit and return checks are being conducted.
- The criminal background of the woman and her sons raises questions about whether the pilgrimage was purely religious or masked other motives.
- The blurred dividing line between voluntary conversion and coercion, especially while abroad, complicates the legal and human rights angle.
- The involvement of a Pakistani spouse, cross-border registration, and unexplained travel gaps open up possible security and immigration implications.
What’s Next
Law-enforcement agencies in the Indian state of Punjab have launched a full investigation, reviewing the three criminal cases, the travel documents and the coordination with Pakistan. The Pakistani side is also engaged in tracing the woman’s new identity, marriage certificate and current status.
As the probe unfolds, authorities will focus on whether any exploitation or trafficking took place, whether the conversion and marriage were entirely free-will, and how to better regulate pilgrim travel links to Pakistan.
Parting Thoughts –
The case of Sarabjit Kaur now Noor Hussain stands at the intersection of faith, identity, crime and cross-border movement. It challenges assumptions about pilgrimage safety, legal protections for travellers, and the oversight of international religious journeys. As more facts emerge, India must take note of the gaps exposed and act to ensure that sacred journeys cannot be misused for hidden agendas.
